Psychology as a Science

Question 1

Science

Answer 1

• Is defined as ‘the systematic study of behaviour based on observation, experiment and measurement’

Question 2

Why is Psychology defined as the ‘science of the mind and behaviour’?

Answer 2

• As much of psychology is based on empirical evidence
• They create hypothesises and test them using studies which collect empirical evidence
• Psychology tends to use genuine scientific methods such as experiments which are tightly controlled and standardized so that they can be replicated in order to check for reliability

Question 3

What are the features of science?

Answer 3

• Reductionism
• Objectivity
• Reliability
• Validity
• Empiricism
• Hypothesis Testing
• Use of controls

Question 4

Reductionism

Answer 4

• This is when you break down complex human behaviour into smaller components that could be studied

Question 5

Reliability

Answer 5

• The extent that a study’s finding could be replicated

Question 6

Validity

Answer 6

• The truthfulness of a score and is the study actually measuring what is setting out to measure

Question 7

Hypothesis testing

Answer 7

• Testing theories using clear predictions that can be accepted or rejected
• Statements can be proven incorrect

Question 8

Social psychology as a Science
(Milgram, Sherif, Thematic analysis)

Answer 8

Milgram:
- Scientific as they use objective ways to measure obedience and is in a controlled environment
- Burger study was a replicate of Milgram
Sherif:
- Done in a natural environments which some attempts of controls however not as scientific as a natural environment is harder to control
Thematic analysis:
- Not as objective or valid as there are potential issues with social desirability bias
- It requires subjective interpretation of themes

Question 9

Objectivity

Answer 9

• In an objective rather than subjective or biased way
• With a biases in observable facts rather than feeling or opinions